Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life

Volume One

Baker & TaylorAn offbeat memoir is written in the form of an encyclopedia in which the author chronicles her life through a series of alphabetical entries that cover both the trivial and the essential elements of her world as she ponders everything from love and truth to shower tiles.

Baker & TaylorOffering a revealing glimpse of what it means to be a woman at the dawn of the twenty-first century, an offbeat memoir is written in the form of an encyclopedia in which the author chronicles her life through a series of alphabetical entries that cover both the trivial and the essential elements of her world as it ponders everything from love and truth to shower tiles. 40,000 first printing.

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Just a joy. Ingenious concept to write an autobiography in this structure. The highlights of our lives are memories silly and profound, almost incredible coincidences, and gratitude for those who shaped us and loved us. Unfortunately, I never heard of her until news of her death.

I found this book immediately after Amy Krouse Rosenthal passed away, and it broke my heart wide open that we had lost such a person. Amy was luminous and ordinary, all at once, and we are lucky that in addition to over 30 children's books, she wrote two memoirs, this being the first. What I found in the Encyclopedia was a memoir like no other. (Not Hyperbole.) She includes orienting features and factual asides. Amy would like us to know that the word coffee appears 23 times. Awkward, 6. Love, 78. Amy includes a timeline of events that chronicle the authors, activities, happenstances, and preferences that lead her to write a memoir-cum-encyclopedia. A charming book, full of meaning and heart, made poignant by the loss of the beautiful soul who wrote it. Read and I think you'll find yourself wondering: what might your own Encyclopedia look like?

The amusing things that punctuate ordinary life are documented by Rosenthal in her charming encyclopedia-style memoir, complete with the alphabetic entries and black and white illustrations. This book is filled with universal truths, self-discovery, and is irrepressively funny.

Delicious! Moments of laughing out loud, moments of recollection and introspection. I wanted to finish it in the hotel room after the first flight, but I held off and finished it shortly after the third takeoff, bound for home.
When asked what category this book fits, I had to stop after "non-fiction"... memoir? humor? self-help? Powell's has is under "Humor-Narrative". How about we just call it "recommended" and be done with it.

This was a great book to read on a rainy weekend. It was light and funny and I felt that I could completely relate to quite of few of her entries. It's the kind of book that I would give to my girlfriends as a quirky birthday gift.